Going into the Week 14 of the 2011 NFL season, only two teams have clinched playoff berths. The Packers and 49ers, however, should soon have some select company, with three teams—the Patriots, Saints and Texans—a one-game push from winning their divisions.

Although 27 teams still have a chance to dance into the postseason, looking at the standings in both conferences, only 17 are realistically in the mix to make a run to the Super Bowl. Considering the now-perfect Packers went all the way as a No. 6 seed last season, one thing is for sure: You can’t count out any team that makes the field.

With teams making a hard playoff push, prepare for a most unpredictable final four weeks.

NFC PICTURE

WHO WOULD BE IN IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED NOW?

1. Green Bay Packers (12-0)

Where they stand: North champions

What's left: vs. OAK, at KC, vs. CHI, vs. DET

What to expect: A win over the Raiders would clinch a first-round bye and put them on the brink of earning the top seed and home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. Those developments are formalities at this point, so the focus turns to whether they will run the table before the postseason. With three games against fading playoff contenders at Lambeau Field and one on the road against the sputtering Chiefs, it has become better than an even bet.

2. San Francisco 49ers (10-2)

Where they stand: West champions

What's left: at ARI, vs. PIT, at SEA, at STL

What to expect: With the West in hand, now the Niners need to work on finishing the sweep of all three division opponents on the road. Although the Steelers' home game will be a good test of their playoff mettle, losing just that one wouldn't hurt San Francisco much. The Niners have a very slim chance of catching Green Bay, and based on conference record, they're up two in the tiebreaker over New Orleans. The Niners look like a lock for the No. 2 seed.

3. New Orleans Saints (9-3)

Where they stand: First place, South

What's left: at TEN, at MIN, vs. ATL, vs. CAR

What to expect: The Saints have a comfortable two-game lead on the Falcons, but they'll need to protect it on the road—where they are just 3-3—before the teams' second head-to-head matchup in Week 16. They should win the division, but as it stands they would need to beat Atlanta a third time to advance to the second round. If for some reason, the Saints can't open in the Superdome, they would be almost as comfortable playing a wild-card game in the Georgia Dome.

4. Dallas Cowboys (7-5)

Where they stand: First place, East

What's left: vs. NYG, at TB, vs. PHI, at NYG

What to expect: It's always the unexpected with the Cowboys, who have just gone two for three in attempting to win games on last-second field goals. After dominating in November, they are trying to avoid a December swoon. In the aftermath of the Week 13 loss to Arizona, a defeat against the Giants would cost the Cowboys control of the East. The goal is to earn a split against the Giants, assuming they can handle the reeling Buccaneers and Eagles in between. The magic number to get in is 10 wins.

5. Chicago Bears (7-5)

Where they stand: Wild card

What's left: at DEN, vs. SEA, at GB, at MIN

What to expect: Without Jay Cutler or Matt Forte, it's hard to see them winning more than the Week 15 home game with Seattle. The Broncos are sizzling with Tim Tebow, the Packers are going for perfection, and it's always challenging to play the Vikings in the Metrodome. Even the Seahawks have been on a roll recently. As much as it feels like the Lions are in trouble, the Bears are in much worse shape. The Bears' best chance to sneak in as a No. 6 seed is finishing with a better record than the Falcons, whom they beat in Week 1.

What to expect: They will be favored to win three games—other than the Saints showdown—but it starts with a tricky matchup with Cam Newton at Charlotte. A Falcons loss, combined with a Saints win this week, means the Falcons would need to settle for maintaining their wild-card spot. Just like the Cowboys, 10 wins probably gets them in. If they are stuck at nine, they'll need to hope the tiebreakers shake out in their favor. If it comes to down to them and one other team, they want it to be Detroit, which they beat in Week 7.

WHO'S ON THE BUBBLE?

Detroit Lions (7-5)

What's left: vs. MIN, at OAK, vs. SD, at GB

What to expect: Before they start worrying about winning games again, they need to clean up their penalties. Prior to that Packers matchup in Week 17, the Lions face three opponents who tend to be sloppier than they are. The Lions’ passing game, one of their strengths, will have favorable matchups against the Vikings, Raiders and Chargers. It's unknown what kind of Green Bay team they will draw—one playing hard for perfection, or one resting its starters if it's already lost by then. So it's best if Detroit just gets its needed three wins before then. The Lions should displace the Bears as the second North playoff team behind the Packers.

New York Giants (6-6)

What's left: at DAL, vs. WAS, at NYJ, vs. DAL

What to expect: Here we go again. The Giants worked through their rough scheduling patch to stay alive at .500, and their close losses to San Francisco and Green Bay should inspire them to finish strong. The Redskins and Jets won't make life easy as rivals, so the Giants can't afford to concentrate all their efforts on the two Cowboys games. They appear headed to 8-8 and will look back to the home loss to the Eagles in Week 11 as the one that really cost them.

AFC PICTURE

WHO WOULD BE IN IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED NOW?

1. New England Patriots (9-3)

Where they stand: First place, East

What's left: at WAS, at DEN, vs. MIA, vs. BUF

What to expect: With a two-game lead and a head-to-head sweep of the Jets, all the Pats need to clinch the division is a win and a New York loss. The Patriots will easily make the field, but no matter if they open at home in Round 1 or 2, they need to shake their one-and-dones in Foxborough from the past two postseasons.

2. Baltimore Ravens (9-3)

Where they stand: First place, North

What's left: vs. IND, at SD, vs. CLE, at CIN

What to expect: Although they still remain neck-and-neck with the archrival Steelers, the hard part is behind them—the sweep of Pittsburgh. The Ravens’ remaining schedule is about as favorable as the Patriots’ final month, and Baltimore also has a head-to-head victory over the Texans. After getting in as a wild card the previous three seasons under John Harbaugh, the Ravens desperately want to host a playoff game, and they're in line to do a little better by also getting a first-round bye.

3. Houston Texans (9-3)

Where they stand: First place, South

What's left: at CIN, vs. CAR, at IND, vs. TEN

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What to expect: Don't be fooled by the fact they're starting rookie T.J. Yates at quarterback. The Texans’ running game and defense have been consistently dominant, and rather quietly, they have the longest current winning streak in the AFC (six games). All the remaining opponents have issues with their run defense, and the Texans' 3-4 pass rush will have the advantage of chasing two rookie quarterbacks (Andy Dalton, Cam Newton) in the remaining games. The Texans can win the South as early as this week, if they beat the Bengals and the Titans lose to the Saints. It will take a three-way tie with the Patriots and Ravens, however, to give the Texans a realistic chance for the top seed.

4. Denver Broncos (7-5)

Where they stand: First place, West

What's left: vs. CHI, vs. NE, at BUF, vs. KC

What to expect: Based on the past five weeks, how can you not expect more minor miracles from Tim Tebow? Other than the daunting task of trying to outscore Tom Brady and the Patriots next week, the other three games are tailormade for Tebow because they likely will be physical, gritty, low-scoring contests. At this point, the Broncos are more reliable than the Raiders and have the more favorable schedule. They will move a game up in the division this week and won't give up that lead.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3)*

Where they stand: Wild card

What's left: vs. CLE, at SF, vs. STL, at CLE

What to expect: The Steelers’ already have their Week 14 victory in hand, but let's make a mild assumption the Ravens will beat the winless Colts at home to stay a tiebreaker ahead. Considering their final two matchups, the Steelers should get to 12 wins. The swing game is against the 49ers, whom the Ravens had the benefit of hosting on Thanksgiving night. In contrast, the Steelers will need to deal with a hostile prime-time crowd next Monday at San Francisco. The good news is the extended time off will help both quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and center Maurkice Pouncey heal up from the ankle injuries they suffered against Cleveland. Regardless of what happens in Week 15, the Steelers will be in the playoffs, so they should err on the side of caution with Big Ben in the short term. Right now, they are projected to play Denver in the first round—a good matchup that should come to fruition.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (7-5)

Where they stand: Wild card

What's left: vs. HOU, at STL, vs. ARI, vs. BAL

What to expect: Their two talented rookies, quarterback Andy Dalton and wideout A.J. Green, need to avoid hitting the proverbial wall. Buried behind the Steelers and Ravens, the best the Bengals can hope for is the final AFC wild-card entry. The good news is, they own a key tiebreaker because of their victory over the Titans, and they have a fair shot at getting to 9-7. The team they should be most concerned about is the Jets, who have great experience in making a late push to the playoffs. In the end, the Bengals feel like last year's Bucs—a young team that will fall just short.

WHO'S ON THE BUBBLE?

New York Jets (7-5)

What's left: vs. KC, at PHI, vs. NYG, at MIA

What to expect: Here comes Rex Ryan's team, humbled from a midseason slump and ready to turn it on when it counts again. The Chiefs won't present much of a challenge this week as the Jets play at home. But the Eagles and Dolphins are potential spoilers on the road, and it's not much of a "home" game against the Giants, who will be also fighting for a playoff spot. The Jets definitely have the talent and defense to roll into the postseason at 11-5, but they could just as easily finish 8-8. They likely have four close games ahead and should go 3-1 to jump Cincinnati.

Oakland Raiders (7-5)

What's left: at GB, vs. DET, at KC, vs. SD

What to expect: The way they fell behind 34-0 in a critical Week 13 game at Miami is a disturbing sign with a difficult closing schedule ahead. The Packers matchup has to be considered a loss, and the Raiders should also get the best efforts of the hungry Lions, the archrival Chiefs and the Chargers, who are always a tough December team. They should be able to handle the Chiefs, but there's not much faith in the Raiders—who continue to rack up key injuries—to win any of their other games.

Tennessee Titans (7-5)

What's left: vs. NO, at IND, vs. JAX, at HOU

What to expect: The Texans can put the AFC South out of reach as early as this week. The obvious projection for the Titans is 2-2, with tough bookend games against the Saints and Texans, who likely will be fighting for the best seed. An upset win over New Orleans, however, would be a big boost to their chances. Considering Matt Hasselbeck's playoff experience and the prospect of dealing with a suddenly red-hot Chris Johnson, this is a team none of the AFC heavyweights wants to see linger beyond Week 17.